GReader Shared Posts

Friday, July 30, 2010

Content creation has exploded. The ability for anyone and everyone to generate their own blogs, videos, podcasts, pictures, articles or conferences has given rise to a culture of creation that is constantly pushing out some new piece of content.

Content has also been a driving force behind marketing as a way to get more involved with social media, drive inbound marketing, or add depth to their corporate website. But, companies are facing ever-increasing competition around content.

A content strategy enables a company to rise above the crowded marketplace of ideas and make an impact. There are three main areas companies should pay attention to when creating their content strategy.

Companies are well suited for providing context because the collection of people in the organization provide a bigger picture of what is happening in the space. The ability to look at trends, offer insight into upcoming changes, or give readers enough information to act on something immediate will establish a company as a reliable source.

Developing context does require effort. It requires a strong internal moderator who can look across different departments to synthesize information and keep the voice of the organization consistent.

Once that credibility is established, readers are more likely to continue consuming your content and engaging when they want to know more from you.

Accessibility

Many content creation platforms default a chronological organization scheme and rely on search engines to determine the relevance of that content based on user keywords. That is not a strategy, that is abdicating responsibility for understanding your audience.

One benefit of being a company, rather than an individual content creator, is that you have products or services for specific, defined markets. You know the types of people you want to keep interested after they've found your content. Creating entry-points based on customer profiles will lead to more time spent on your site and a more engaged audience.

Entry-points into your content do not have to be complicated. A simple way to start is bundling content assets that related to a topic or theme and presenting the reader with a quick way to access them. A reader that finds an area with multiple pieces of content that are relevant to their needs is less likely to leave and head back to a search engine.

Re-using content is built on the foundation of your audience profiles. When you have provided someone with an easy access point, and they reach out for more information -- either through a web-form or some other mechanism -- you should have in place a clear content path that you can provide. Re-packaging existing content to be delivered at an appropriate time, and prompt the next desired action, extends the usefulness of your content assets.

This area is one that many companies are lacking as part of their content strategy, yet it has proven to be one of the most effective tools in lifting rates of prospect conversion, reactivating stalled leads, and maintaining positive customer relationships.

Conclusion

Content marketing will continue to succeed for companies that understand how to position themselves and their content towards the needs of their audiences. With a clear strategy and consistent effort, the goal of improved content is well within reach.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

I listened to a webinar recently by Bulldog Solutions about building buyer personae. This was a service they were rolling out when I worked there, and I wanted to see how it had evolved over the last year. It looks like they've made great strides with their tool.

My biggest take-away was the challenge companies face in selecting specific audiences to address in their marketing. It's very easy for companies to want public-facing information to be applicable to any reader. The downside to this approach is that the content must be so broadly understandable that it loses it's impact.

The buyer persona becomes valuable in directing your content development is knowing which audience you want looking at your content. When you've determined the right audience then you can provide information that is meaningful.

With a clear sense of audience, your content can then focus on:

Specifics -- What does your reader need to learn from your content?

Motivation -- How does the content move your reader further down the sales funnel?

Monday, July 19, 2010

As I prepare for myself to look for new career opportunities, I'm grateful to friends that have already helped me refine how I should be searching and what I'm actually looking for.

To that end, I'm going to post here the three short bullet points about what I'm looking for in my next opportunity.

Company - I'm looking for a company that has established itself but remains agile enough to execute new ideas -- ideally between 150-2,000 employees.

Department - With 8 years of experience in communications and marketing, I'm looking for a position in a marketing or social media department.

Role - My passion as a marketer lies in content development. Creating valuable content starts with a clear understanding of audience, requires skillful execution, and ends with measuring results. I have experience across this entire cycle.

For more information about me, please view my LinkedIn profile or contact me at jljohansen at gmail dot com.

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About Me

I am a marketer. The role of content as a marketing tool as increased with the rise of Internet search and social media. As audiences continue to fragment, companies will need to continue to focus on creating diverse content that can be published and shared broadly.